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Fall has arrived with all it's wonderful colors. But don't leave the colors outside, bring them inside and enjoy the beauty of the season in your home. Here's a few simple ideas you can do yourself to make the fall season come alive in your home.

Liven Up Store-Bought Fall Decorations

You can liven up a garland you buy at the store with bittersweet, fall foliage, or dried hydrangeas. Wrap them around door posts, then finish the look with pumpkins and cabbages on the steps and a pine-cone wreath on the door. Accent the wreath with leaves and flowers.

Mix Up the Colors

Orange may be the most popular fall color, but's there's so many more you can use. Mixing yellow and orange pumpkins with bright green is a great contrast.

Rustic Fall Mantel

Wrap votive candle holders with twine several times, inserting a fall leaf in the twine.

Place small white pumpkins on top of the votives. Use different amounts of pumpkins to make them different heights.

Use a rope and attach an assortment of fall leaves to it with wire the create a garland, then attach it to the mantel with temporary hooks.

Floral Pumpkins

Using an awl or pointed tool, poke holes in a carving pumpkin. Insert mum stems until the entire pumpkin is covered.

White Pumpkin Wreath

Buy a grapevine wreath from a craft store.

Using an odd number of white pumpkins, attach them to the wreath using florist picks. Make sure they're spaced evenly.

Fill in the spaces between the pumpkins with seasonal greenery such as smilax or bittersweet. Use more florist picks to attach them.

Finish it off with a fall leaf assortment, attaching them with picks and wire.

Mumkins

Create a "mumkin" by carving out a pumpkin and insert mums. Then fill smaller gourds with containers of pansies and place by the mumkin.

A Pumpkin Pile

You can make your own arrangement of tiny pumpkins by placing them on a side table. Just use your imagination to make an easy and casual display.

Pumpkin Candle Holders

Cut a 1-inch circle into mini pumpkins and scoop out the center to hold votive candles.

Give Your Pumpkins Spots

Gold metallic paint can really make your pumpkins stand out.

Stick round labels on a pumpkin and trace the shape with a pencil.

Remove the labels and paint inside the circles with gold paint.

With just these few ideas, you can make your home pop with fall brilliance this year.

Check back on our blog twice a week for more real estate news, ideas, and local events in Austin and Lake Travis. You can search for the perfect home on our website using our powerful home search tools.You can also get free listing alerts of homes as they hit the market at WelcomeToLakeTravis.com. And you can always feel free to call us at 512-657-4467​ to talk to an experienced agent today.

The 4th of July is upon us and it’s a wonderful time time to have fun with friends and family, including our pets. As this is a festive time, we need to keep in mind the sensitivities of the animals in our care. There’s loud noises and foods that can pose a hazard to them. What can you do to make sure you and your pets have a good time and stay safe? Here’s a few tips:

Keep pets away from alcohol. Alcohol is not meant to be consumed by pets. They don’t know where the limit is. So it’s understandable that alcoholic can be harmful to pets. Drinks can make your pets very intoxicated and weak, severely depressed, induce a coma or even cause death in extreme cases.

Don’t use sunscreen or insect repellant on animals. Pets can lick sunscreen or repellant from their fur. Ingesting sunscreen products can result in drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. Insect repellants can also cause neurological problems.

Keep them away from matches. Matches are bad for pets, and some matches contain chlorates, which can damage blood cells and result in difficulty breathing or even kidney disease in severe cases. Lighter fluid can also irritate their skin, and irritate their gastrointestinal and central nervous system.

Keep your pets on their normal diet. Don’t change your pet’s diet just because it’s a holiday. Pet’s still need their normal diet routine. If you change their diet, it can give them severe indigestion and diarrhea. This especially goes for older animals. Especially keep them away from onions, chocolate, coffee, avocado, grapes, raisins, salt and yeast dough as they can be potentially toxic to your pets.

Keep citronella candles, insect coils and tiki torch oil away. Ingesting these can produce stomach irritation and possibly even central nervous system depression. If inhaled, the oils could cause aspiration pneumonia in pets.

Never use fireworks around pets! This should just go without saying, but you should make sure they aren’t around the fireworks when you light them. And make sure you clean up used fireworks, as many types contain potentially toxic substances, including potassium nitrate, arsenic and other heavy metals.

Don’t bring pets to large crowded fireworks displays. If you attend a large fireworks display, don’t give into bringing your pets. Leave them home to keep them from the noise. If they do become scared from the fireworks in the neighborhood, at least they’ll be inside and safe from running away.

Be prepared in the event that your pet does escape. And keep your pets’ IDs up to date! Not only tag and ID outdoor, animals, but indoor pets as well. Indoor pets can escape, so make sure you can find them more easily.

Check back on our blog twice a week for more real estate news, ideas, and local events in Austin and Lake Travis. You can search for the perfect home on our website using our powerful home search tools.You can also get free listing alerts of homes as they hit the market at WelcomeToLakeTravis.com. And you can always feel free to call us at 512-657-4467​ to talk to an experienced agent today.

The 4th of July is only a few weeks away, so it’s time to think about how you plan to celebrate our independence in Austin. Austin will be full of fun and memorable ways to celebrate, from the usual fireworks to parades and live music. Here’s a few 4th of July events coming up in Austin to look forward to.

The fireworks at the Long Center for the Performing Arts is where you’ll find families decked out in red, white, and blue at Vic Mathias Shores. This amazing event featuring a fireworks display will fill the city skyline with spectacular colors. Make sure you get there early for a perfect place on the grass.

The Westlake parade begins at 9 am featuring live music, bouncy house games and fun activities after the parade. You and your pets can compete in a costume contest. There will also be breakfast tacos from Texas Honey Ham, cookies from P. Terry’s and ice cream at Northstar Bank. The best part is it’s all FREE!

Come to the Blue Starlite Urban Mini Drive- In’s Independence Day celebration and watch the movie Independence Day starring Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum. After the movie, enjoy a fireworks show on their high definition screen. And you can enjoy this all from the comfort of your car.

Spend the 4th of July with Willie Nelson! Live Nation, C3 Presents, and Circuit of The Americas (COTA) are hosting the return of Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic to Circuit of The Americas. Country music legend and American treasure Willie Nelson hosts one of America’s most celebrated festivals.

Celebrate independence day at the Grey Rock Golf Golf Course and Tennis Club with their annual Stars and Stripes event the first week of July! Members and their friends can buy tickets to get an up-close relaxing view of the event from the 18th Fairway. There’s great food the whole family will enjoy along with some of the best fireworks in South Austin.

Whatever you do this 4th of July, make sure you have a fun and safe Independence Day in Austin!

Memorial Day is almost here. It’s a time to celebrate our freedom and honor those who sacrificed their lives for it. What better way to do that than a parade? It’s a great way for families and communities to come together, have fun, and remember. There are some great Memorial Day celebrations and parades scheduled this weekend in the Austin area. Here’s what you can look forward to this weekend:

Saturday May 26, 2018

Fiesta Amistad 2018: Come to the Old Settlers Association Ground for the 50th Annual Fiesta Amistad You can enjoy food, games, arts and crafts, and a plenty of entertainment for the whole family. Musicians from around the area will perform, including Ruben Ramos, Jay Perez & The Band, Marcos Orozco, Hugo Guerrero y Fanango, and Round Rock Ballet Folklorico along with DJ Primo and Jess Lopez setting the tone during the day. Admission $5 at the gate.

Sunday May 27, 2018

Close Assault 1944: Remember the true meaning of Memorial Day at the Texas Military Force Museum at Camp Mabry with this look back at World War II. This show focuses on the history of the 36th Infantry Division of the Texas Army National Guard during World War II. The program is free and features members of the Texas Military Forces Living History Detachment exhibiting the uniform and equipment worn by the American GI in the European Theater of the Second World War, as well as those of his German opponent. There will also be firing demonstrations of the most famous U.S. and German small arms of World War II, along with displays of everything from tents and radio equipment to GI baseball gloves and mess kits and operational vehicles such as an M4 Sherman Tank, M3 Halftrack and Jeeps. Showtimes are at 11 am and 2 pm.

Make sure to check back on our blog for more great things to do in Lake Travis and Austin. You can search for the perfect home on our website using our powerful home search tools.You can also get free listing alerts of homes as they hit the market at WelcomeToLakeTravis.com. And you can always feel free to call us at 512-657-4467​ to talk to an experienced agent today.​

If you're looking for something special to do for Valentine's Day this year, don't worry. Austin is full of great ways to spend the day with your sweetheart. Austin is rife with unique culture, art, diversity, and plenty of special events, activities, clubs, concerts and more. And of course you can find plenty of special packages at hotels and restaurants for a special evening. And you don't have to be in a romance to have fun. There's plenty of ways for people who are “single and want to mingle,” hanging with girls, or having a night out with the guys to have a great time. Here's a few of the best ways to enjoy Valentine's Day this year in Austin.

Romantic Weekend Hotel Packages

This is for couples who want to have a weekend getaway. Even if you live in Austin, you can take a weekend getaway to various hotels offering special packages. Bedandbreakfast.com lets you choose from tons of sweet little inns to get away from the city. Visit BedandBreakfast.com to make romantic reservations for a sweet package for two.

This is a great idea no matter if it's for a family, an outing with friends, date groups, or just the two of you. The 31 acres of greenery set among the Colorado River makes the perfect setting for a picnic of wine and cheese. Or you can dine at the Garden’s cafe. Best of all, these gardens are free to visit, saving more money for chocolates!

Ride a Horse-Drawn Carriage

What can be more romantic than taking a ride through downtown in a horse-drawn carriage? Die Gelbe Rose Carriage and Austin Carriage both offer great deals. This is also a great idea for the family, especially the kids. Bring some flowers and enjoy the ride!

Climb aboard this special Hill Country Flyer or the Valentine's Day Dinner Train to celebrate Valentine’s Day. They will take you on a romantic ride through the Texas Hill Country, crossing the South San Gabriel River and Short Creek Canyon. During the two hour layover in Burnet you can enjoy lunch and shopping on your own, a leisurely stroll around the historic town square and the Wild West Gunfight (weather permitting). Adult-only cars and family friendly cars are available. Or take a ride on the Valentine’s Day dinner train and enjoy handcrafted premium wines from The Austin Winery at the three course wine pairing dinner.

Want to learn more about what makes Austin and Lake Travis such a great place to live? Check back on our blog every week for more fun things to do in Austin!

Where has the year gone? It's hard to believe, but another year has come and gone, and now it's time to celebrate a new year in Austin. If you haven't already made plans, the there's a number of great ways coming up in Austin to help you celebrate. Here's a few events coming up that you're sure to enjoy.

This free event has it all - food trucks, fun for the kids, art installations, and best of all, a grand fireworks display over Town Lake/Lady Bird Lake. Enjoy live music from Tomar and the FCS, Brownout, Magna Carda and Ian Moore Band.

The Omni Austin Hotel is hosting one of the most upscale New Year's Eve parties in Austin. Take a trip back to the roaring 20's as you dance the night away toDJ Tony Styles alongside a supporting cast of all-star deejays. Enjoy premium drinks from a fully stocked prepaid bar and multiple courses of hors d'œuvres. Throw on your best 20's attire and get ready to have the time of the year.

The Rooftop on Sixth​ is hosting the ultimate NYE celebration. Come party at the hottest bar on E 6th St. It's the biggest balloon drop in Austin, with complimentary champagne at midnight. Make sure to reserve early to save money.

Wishing everyone I've had the pleasure of working with a very happy and wonderful holiday season and a happy and prosperous new year in 2018. It's been a pleasure helping my clients find and sell their homes in Lake Travis and Austin.

​The holiday season in Austin is well underway, but there's still time to round out the season and make it one to remember. Austin is full of great holiday events that will help you and your family get the most out of this holiday season. Here's a few of the top events for you to enjoy.

Come experience this unique shopping experience and pick up some great last-minute gifts. There's live music, wide aisles for dancing, along with great gifts from more than 100 artists and craftsmen. Don't miss this cherished Austin tradition.

Thanksgiving Day is the time when we can all show thanks for the important things in life. We can also make it a time when we can give others a reason to be thankful as well. Do you have some time to help others who don't have as much to have a better Thanksgiving holiday next week? If you do, there's a number of ways you can help. Here's a few organizations in Austin dedicated to helping those in need.